Audio 3:14
Mildura hoping for a morale and tourism boost as Triple J's One Night Stand rolls into town

Stephanie CorsettiUpdated
Sat 17 May 2014, 9:24 AM AEST

Many parts of rural and regional Australia are struggling to survive. But in north-west Victoria, the arrival of Triple J's One Night Stand is expected to attract 15,000 visitors to Mildura. Community leaders are embracing the event in the hope it could add a much needed boost to locals.

Transcript

ELIZABETH JACKSON: Many parts of rural and regional Australia are struggling to survive.

But in north-west Victoria, the arrival of an annual youth music festival that tours a different regional city each year is expected to attract 15,000 visitors to Mildura.

Community leaders are embracing the event in the hope it could add a much needed boost to the locals.

Stephanie Corsetti reports.

STEPHANIE CORSETTI: Six artists will take to the stage on the banks of the Murray River for the annual festival that brings Australian music acts to parts of the country that often miss out.

Like many regional centres, Mildura's population growth is minimal. The region has one of the country's highest rate of anti-depressant usage, and there's a distinct lack of mental health support, drug and alcohol rehabilitation centres.

Greg Leslie is the industry and strategic projects manager at Mildura Tourism.

GREG LESLIE: We're really well known as food and wine and into our other festivals, which are, I suppose, targeted a bit more at an older demographic, so this is something that's really sustainable to provide return and repeat visitation for years and years.

Certainly the Triple J event isn't just the younger demographic, but it's a really good chance to introduce ourselves; just the national coverage, recognition we'll get from this will be brilliant.

Hopefully people tune in and see these beautiful blue skies, see the water rolling in the background and just say 'I have to go there'.

STEPHANIE CORSETTI: Despite its beauty, there is an ugly side to Mildura. The township is isolated and has had problems with outlaw motorcycle gangs dealing drugs to young people.

There's an estimated 2,000 Indigenous people in the wider Mildura region. There's been a recent spate of suicides in the Indigenous community.

Raelene Stephens is from Mallee District Aboriginal Services.

RAELENE STEPHENS: Particularly young people they're are quite vulnerable because when they have to go away for rehab it takes them away from their family. And it's very hard for them because once they go away, it's very hard to work out a plan for their return to the community with their families - how they're going to continue to maintain their sobriety or how they are going to maintain not being on drugs and alcohol when they get out. Particularly since within the community around them, alcohol is something that's socialised throughout all communities.

STEPHANIE CORSETTI: Mildura's luck is gradually changing. A federally funded Headspace youth mental health centre is opening this year and the state government announced this month it'll build a recovery care centre for people with mental disorders to transition back into the community.

Mildura musician Don Mayne suffered from anxiety and depression last year right before he turned 30.

He says the One Night Stand concert will allow all kinds of people to come together and celebrate music.

DON MAYNE: At the end of the day it's a town in a rural location where there's probably a whole lot of issues that are still unrecognised. I know dealing with young people there's a lot of issues with that. It's always been tough I think for young people here to get that help because they've got to want it and want to be able to find it, and also it's also just being in a country town, rural town, you don't often get that expertise that some of the capital cities have.

STEPHANIE CORSETTI: He says any event that can bring people together is going to help the Mildura community become more vibrant and positive.

DON MAYNE: Pretty much it's just live each day as it is and look at tomorrow as a new opportunity for me, and that's what I do.